The present invention relates to video recording devices, such as VCRs (video cassette recorders) and video disk players, for receiving a television broadcast signal and recording the signal on a recording medium, and more particularly to video recording devices which are adapted to record on a recording medium a television broadcast signal having viewing prohibition information or title information superposed thereon.
In order to meet differences in program broadcasting hours in Europe, it is conventional practice to control unattended recording of a preselected television program by superposing a control signal termed a VPS (video programming system) signal on the television signal.
It is also practice in North America to control recording of a preselected television program by super-posing a control signal conforming to the XDS (Extended Data Service) standard on the 21st horizontal section of vertical blanking period in the second field of the television broadcast signal.
In either of these methods, a special control signal for controlling the video recording operation needs to be transmitted as superposed on the television broadcast signal.
In North America, regulations called V-chip are to be formulated into a law to prevent children from viewing TV (television) programs for adults which contain presentations involving violence or sexual expression. According to the V-chip regulations, the television broadcast signal for each program must have superposed thereon viewing prohibition information termed xe2x80x9cRATINGxe2x80x9d and relating to the age limit for viewing, wording, etc. Further it is recommended that title information representing the titles of the programs be superposed on the television broadcast signal along with the RATING information. The RATING information, as well as the title information, is therefore transmitted as superposed on the television broadcast signal as part of the XDS signal (see xe2x80x9cEIA STANDARDxe2x80x9d EIA-608-1994 ELECTRONIC INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION).
VCRs are already known which have the function of displaying as a recording list recording information as to all the programs recorded on a magnetic tape as shown in FIG. 14.
For use with the VCR of this type, the magnetic tape is provided thereon with a recording region for the television broadcast signal and an auxiliary data recording region narrower than the region as shown in the signal recording format of FIG. 13. Recorded in the auxiliary data recording region after the start of recording are first VISS (video index signal search) data representing the recording starting time, and subsequently VASS (video address signal search) data including user data and recording data representing the contents of the recording. The recording data includes data relating, for example, to the channel number, recording date, recording starting time and recording termination time.
When the VCR is manipulated by the user to display the list, the magnetic tape is forwarded fast for playback to read the recording data from the VASS data recording section of the auxiliary data recording region. A recording information display signal is prepared with reference to the read recording data and fed to a TV receiver. As a result, the recording list shown in FIG. 14 is displayed on the screen of the TV receiver. In the drawing, xe2x80x9cCHxe2x80x9d means channel number, xe2x80x9cDATExe2x80x9d means recording date, xe2x80x9cSTARTxe2x80x9d means recording stating time and xe2x80x9cENDxe2x80x9d means recording termination time.
However, the recording list shows the channel number, recording date, recording starting time and recording termination time only, and the title of the program is not given as seen in FIG. 14. The VCR therefore has the problem that the recording list fails to indicate what a particular program is.
To solve the problem, it appears useful to display the title of the program on the screen of the monitor utilizing the title information contained in the XDS signal.
The VCR having such a function will be so adapted that, for example, when the VCR is manipulated by the user to display a title list, the entire broadcast signal recording region shown in FIG. 13 is searched to extract pieces of title information one after another from the television broadcast signal recorded in the region and display the titles with reference to the extracted title information.
The VCR so constructed nevertheless has the problem that since the broadcast signal recording region has a large area, the extraction of titles requires much time, necessitating a long period of time for completely displaying the list of program titles.
Alternatively, the title information extracted from the television broadcast signal may be recorded in the user data recording area of the VASS data recording section, such that when the VCR is manipulated by the user for the display of titles, pieces of title information are read one after another from the user data recording area to display the titles with reference to the read title information. However, the recorder so designed has the problem that recording of the title information, which is great in quantity, requires much time.
An object of the present invention is to provide a video recording device wherein the RATING information or title information contained in the XDS signal is utilized for controlling the recording operation, so that even in the event of a change in the broadcast starting or termination time of a program, the program recording operation can be started or completed automatically in accordance with the change of the time.
The present invention provides a video recording device for recording on a recording medium television broadcast signals having RATING (viewing prohibition information) superposed thereon for each program, the device comprising:
means for receiving television broadcast signals,
information separating means for separating the RATING information from the television broadcast signal received,
input means for inputting information required for unattended recording of a preselected program,
storage means for storing the input information, and
recording start control means for comparing RATING information input by manipulating the input means with the RATING information separated from the television broadcast signal and starting a recording operation when a match is found between the compared pieces of information.
With the video recording device of the present invention, RATING information, the broadcast starting time of a preselected program, etc. required are input with use of the input means. The device then starts to monitor the RATING information a predetermined period of time before the broadcast starting time of the program, and is automatically initiated into a recording operation upon finding a match between the input RATING information and the RATING information separated from the television broadcast signal.
Accordingly, if the broadcast of the program is started later than is scheduled, a match is not obtained between the two pieces of RATING information until the broadcast of the program is actually started, permitting the device to remain in a standby state for recording. When the broadcast of the program is actually started, the two pieces of RATING information match for the start of the recording operation.
The RATING information comprises several tens of contents provided by items of data in combinations, so that two consecutive programs are least likely to be exactly identical in RATING information.
More specifically, the television broadcast signal contains title information superposed thereon for each program, and the information separating means is capable of separating the RATING information and the title information from the received television broadcast signal, and which comprises information checking means for checking the separated RATING information and/or title information for a change, and recording termination control means for terminating the recording operation when a change is found in the RATING information and/or title information separated from the television broadcast signal during recording after the start of the recording operation.
The device thus constructed starts to monitor the RATING information and/or the title information after the start of the recording operation, and automatically terminates the recording operation upon detecting a change in the RATING information and/or the title information.
Accordingly even if the broadcast of the program is completed later than is scheduled, the RATING information and the title information remain unchanged until the broadcast of the program is actually completed, and the recording operation is continued. When the broadcast of the next program is started upon actual completion of the program, the RATING information and the title information change, whereby the recording operation is terminated.
The present invention further provides a video recording device for recording on a recording medium television broadcast signals having RATING information and title information superposed thereon for each program, the device comprising:
means for receiving television broadcast signals,
information separating means for separating the RATING information and the title information from the television broadcast signal received,
information checking means for checking the separated RATING information and/or title information for a change, and
recording termination control means for terminating a recording operation when a change is found in the RATING information and/or title information separated from the television broadcast signal during recording after the start of the recording operation.
After the video recording device described of the invention is initiated into an operation to record a program, for example, by a usual manual procedure, the device starts to monitor the RATING information and/or the title information and automatically terminates the recording operation upon detecting a change in the RATING information and/or the title information.
Accordingly even if the broadcast of the program is completed later than is scheduled, the RATING information and the title information remain unchanged until the broadcast of the program is actually completed, and the recording operation is continued. When the broadcast of the next program is started upon actual completion of the program, the RATING information and the title information change, whereby the recording operation is terminated.
The video recording device embodying the invention realizes unattended recording of a preselected program even when the program broadcast hours are changed by utilizing the RATING information or the title information contained in an XDS signal without necessitating other special control signal superposed on the television broadcast signal.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a video recording device which is adapted to display on a monitor a list of the titles of programs recorded on a tape.
The invention provides another video recording device for use with a television broadcast signal containing a plurality of programs and title information relating to at least one of the programs and superposed on the signal at a predetermined position, and with a tape having in combination a region for recording the television signal and a region for recording auxiliary data, the video recording device being adapted to record the television broadcast signal of the plurality of programs in the broadcast signal recording region. The video recording device is characterized in that the device comprises:
first information processing means for writing a flag relating to the program containing the title information and indicating the presence of the title information to the auxiliary data recording region in the course of recording the plurality of programs, and
second information processing means for extracting the title information relating to the program for which the flag is written to the auxiliary data recording region from the predetermined position of the television signal to be reproduced from the broadcast signal recording region, and preparing and outputting data for visually displaying the extracted title information, when the device is manipulated by the user for a display.
More specifically, the first information processing means comprises:
first checking means for checking whether the television broadcast signal received for the program being recorded contains the title information, and
first data processing means for writing the flag to the auxiliary data recording region when the first checking means detects the presence of the title information.
On the other hand, the second information processing means comprises:
playback control means for playing back the tape when the device is manipulated by the user for the display,
second checking means for checking each program recorded on the tape as to whether the flag is written to the auxiliary data recording region,
information extracting means for extracting the title information from the predetermined position of the television broadcast signal reproduced from the broadcast signal recording region, every time the second checking means detects the presence of the written flag, and
second data processing means for preparing and outputting data for visually displaying the title information extracted by the information extracting means.
The video recording device of the invention has an output terminal connected to a monitor.
The device is initiated into a recording operation when manipulated by the user for the start of the recording operation or when the preselected time for starting the recording operation has arrived.
With the start of the recording operation, the first checking means checks whether the television broadcast signal received, for example, via an antenna for the program being currently recorded contains title information. When the first checking means detects the presence of the title information, the first data processing means writes a flag having, for example, a value of xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d to the auxiliary data recording region of the tape. Since the quantity of information of the flag is small, the flag can be written to the auxiliary data recording region within a very short period of time.
Thus, for the program containing the title information, the television broadcast signal is recorded in the broadcast signal recording region of the tape, and the flag is written to the auxiliary data recording region thereof.
When the user manipulates the device so as to display on the screen of the monitor a list of the titles of the programs recorded on the tape, the playback control means starts to play back the tape.
While the tape is being played back, the second checking means searches the auxiliary data recording region of the tape to check whether the flag is written to the region successively for each of the programs recorded on the tape. The information extracting means extracts the title information from the predetermined position of the television broadcast signal reproduced from the broadcast signal recording region, every time the second checking means detects the presence of the written flag. Since the flag is written for the program which contains the title information among the programs recorded on the tape, the title information is invariably contained in the television broadcast signal reproduced when the written flag is detected by the second checking means.
The second data processing means prepares data for visually displaying the title information extracted by the information extracting means and feeds the data to the monitor. Consequently, the title of the program or the titles of programs containing the title information are each shown for the program on the screen of the monitor.
In the case of the recording device described, the second checking means searches the auxiliary data recording region which is smaller than the broadcast signal recording region in area, with the result that the whole title information recorded in the broadcast signal recording region can be extracted within a shorter period of time than is the case with the recording device described previously wherein the entire broadcast signal recording region is searched. This shortens the time required for completely displaying the list of titles of programs.
Stated more specifically, the first information processing means further comprises:
third data processing means for recording in the auxiliary data recording region recording data representing the contents of recording of the program being recorded when no title information is detected for the program by the first checking means. The recording data includes data relating, for example, to a channel number, recording data, recording starting time and recording termination time.
On the other hand, the second information processing means further comprises:
fourth data processing means for reading from the auxiliary data recording region the recording data as to the recorded program for which the flag is not written every time the second checking means detects the absence of the written flag, and preparing and outputting data for visually displaying the read recording data.
When the first checking means detects the absence of the title information, the third data processing means records the recording data of the program concerned in the auxiliary data recording region.
Thus, for the program containing no title information, the television broadcast signal is recorded in the broadcast signal recording region on the tape, and the recording data in the auxiliary data recording region.
The fourth data processing means reads from the auxiliary data recording region the recording data as to the recorded program for which the flag is not written every time the second checking means detects the absence of the written flag, prepares data for visually displaying the read recording data and feeds the prepared data to the monitor. Consequently, the screen of the monitor displays the recording information as to at least one program containing no title information, for example, the channel number, recording date, recording starting time and recording termination time.
For the program containing the title information, the title of the program is displayed, while for the program containing no title information, the recording information as to the program is displayed in this way.
Stated specifically, the first information processing means further comprises:
fifth data processing means for recording in the auxiliary data recording region recording data representing the contents of recording of the program being recorded when the title information is detected for the program by the first checking means.
On the other hand, the second information processing means further comprises:
sixth data processing means for reading from the auxiliary data recording region the recording data as to the recorded program for which the flag is written every time the second checking means detects the presence of the written flag, and preparing and outputting data for visually displaying the read recording data.
With the device thus constructed, when the first checking means detects the presence of the title information, the first data processing means writes the flag to the auxiliary data recording region as described above, and the fifth data processing means records the recording data concerned to the auxiliary data recording region.
The sixth data processing means reads the recording data concerned from the auxiliary data recording region every time the second checking means detects the presence of the written flag, prepares data for visually displaying the read recording data and feeds the prepared data to the monitor. The information extracting means extracts the title information from the predetermined position of the television broadcast signal reproduced from the broadcast signal recording region, every time the second checking means detects the presence of the written flag as described above. The second data processing means prepares data for visually displaying the title information extracted by the information extracting means and feeds the data to the monitor. Consequently, the screen of the monitor displays the recording information for at least one program containing the title information, in addition to the title.
More specifically, the playback control means rewinds the tape to a starting end thereof at a higher speed than for usual playback and thereafter forwards the tape fast for playback at a higher speed than for usual playback when the device is manipulated by the user for the display, and the playback control means effects usual playback while the information extracting means is in operation.
The playback control means of the device thus constructed plays back the tape from the starting end thereof, so that the title information or recording data is read in the order in which the programs are recorded. Accordingly the titles of the programs or recording information is displayed on the screen of the monitor in the order in which the programs are recorded.
With the device thus constructed, a list of the titles of the programs or of recording information is displayed on the monitor screen when programs recorded on the tape are to be viewed. The list tells the viewer the recording order of the programs, facilitating the retrieval of a particular program.
The playback control means forwards the tape fast for playback at a higher speed than for usual playback except during the operation of the information extracting means. The whole title information recorded in the broadcast recording region can therefore be extracted within a shortened period of time. Since the second checking means searches the auxiliary data recording region which is narrower than the broadcast signal recording region as stated above, the presence or absence of the flag can be reliably detected even if the tape is played back at the higher speed. Further because the tape is played back in the usual manner while the information extracting means is in operation, the title information can be reliably extracted from the television broadcast signal reproduced from the broadcast signal recording region.
The second video recording device of the present invention is adapted to display the titles of the programs recorded on the tape as listed on the monitor screen.